ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments

Checklist Website Accessibility

Purpose Of This Checklist

This checklist is designed for use in conducting a preliminary assessment of the accessibility of your agency’s website. The goal is to review your website and your agency’s website policies and procedures and see if there are red flags alerting you to ADA accessibility concerns.

Materials And Information Needed

If already created, a copy of your Website Accessibility Policy.

If already created, a copy of your Website Accessibility Policy.

Information describing specific actions taken to make your existing website accessible to people with disabilities.

Information about website accessibility training taken by staff and/or contractors responsible for developing and posting webpages and content.

Information about any procedures used to obtain input from people with disabilities regarding the accessibility of your website.

Any input provided by people with disabilities about their experiences accessing your website.

The assistance of your website manager.

Accessibility Check Form

CHECKLIST WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY
Email :

Website :

1. Does the top of each page with navigation links have a "skip navigation" link?
(This feature directs screen readers to bypass the row of navigation links and start at the
webpage content, thus enabling people who use screen readers to avoid having to listen to all
the links each time they move to a new page.)
Yes
No

2. Do all links have a text description that can be read by a screen reader (not just a graphic or "click here")?
Yes
No

3. Do all of the photographs, maps, graphics and other images on the website currently have
HTML tags (such as an "alt" tag or a long description tag) with text equivalents of the material being visually conveyed?
Yes
No

4. Are all of the documents posted on your website available in HTML or another text-based
format (for example, rich text format (RTF) or word processing format), even if you are also
providing them in another format, such as Portable Document Format (PDF)?
Yes
No

5. If your website has online forms, do HTML tags describe all of the controls (including all
text fields, check boxes, drop-down lists, and buttons) that people can use in order to
complete and submit the forms?
Yes
No

6. If your website has online forms, does the default setting in drop-down lists describe the
information being requested instead of displaying a response option (e.g., "your age" instead
of "18 - 21")?
Yes
No

7. If a webpage has data charts or tables, is HTML used to associate all data cells with
column and row identifiers?
Yes
No

8. Do all video files on your website have audio descriptions of what is being displayed
to provide access to visually conveyed information for people who are blind or have low vision?
Yes
No

9. Do all video files on your website have written captions of spoken communication synchronized
with the action to provide access to people who are deaf or hard of hearing?
Yes
No

10. Do all audio files on your website have written captions of spoken communication synchronized
with the action to provide access to people who are deaf or hard of hearing?
Yes
No

11. Have all webpages been designed so they can be viewed using visitors' web browser and
operating system settings for color and font?
Yes
No

Website Accessibility Policy and Procedures.
This section will help you identify potential problems with the ongoing process of ensuring website accessibility

12. Do you have a written policy on website accessibility?
Yes
No

13. Is the website accessibility policy posted on your website in a place where it
can be easily located?
Yes
No

14. Have procedures been developed to ensure that content is not added to your website until
it has been made accessible?
Yes
No

15. Does the website manager check the HTML of all new webpages to confirm accessibility
before the pages are posted?
Yes
No

16. When documents are added to your website in PDF format, are text-based versions of the
documents (e.g., HTML, RTF, or word processing format) added at the same time as the PDF versions?
Yes
No

17. Have in-house staff and contractors received information about the website accessibility
policy and procedures to ensure website accessibility?
Yes
No

18. Have in-house and contractor staff received appropriate training on how to ensure the
accessibility of your website?
Yes
No

19. Have in-house and contractor staff who create web content or post it on your website received
copies of the Department of Justice's technical assistance document "Accessibility of State
and Local Government Websites to People with Disabilities"?
Yes
No

20. If your website contains inaccessible content, is a specific written plan including timeframes
in place now to make all of your existing web content accessible?
Yes
No

21. Have you posted on your website a plan to improve website accessibility and invited
suggestions for improvements?
Yes
No

22. Does your website home page include easily locatable information, including a telephone number
and email address, for use in reporting website accessibility problems and requesting accessible services and information?
Yes
No

23. Do you have procedures in place to assure a quick response to website visitors with disabilities
who are having difficulty accessing information or services available via the website?
Yes
No

24. Have you asked disability groups representing people with a wide variety of disabilities to
provide feedback on the accessibility of your website? (Note: Feedback from people who use a variety
of assistive technologies is helpful in ensuring website accessibility.)
Yes
No

25. Have you tested your website using one of the products available on the Internet to test website
accessibility? (Note: Products available for testing website accessibility include no-cost and
low-cost options. These products may not identify all accessibility issues and may flag issues
that are not accessibility problems. However, they are, nonetheless, a helpful tool in improving website accessibility.)
Yes
No

26. Are alternative ways of accessing web-based information, programs, activities, and services
available for people with disabilities who cannot use computers?
Yes
No

Email:

Website:

1. Does the top of each page with navigation links have a “skip navigation” link? (This feature directs screen readers to bypass the row of navigation links and start at the webpage content, thus enabling people who use screen readers to avoid having to listen to all the links each time they move to a new page.)

YesNo2. Do all links have a text description that can be read by a screen reader (not just a graphic or “click here”)?

YesNo3. Do all of the photographs, maps, graphics and other images on the website currently have HTML tags (such as an “alt” tag or a long description tag) with text equivalents of the material being visually conveyed?

YesNo4. Are all of the documents posted on your website available in HTML or another text-based format (for example, rich text format (RTF) or word processing format), even if you are also providing them in another format, such as Portable Document Format (PDF)?

YesNo5. If your website has online forms, do HTML tags describe all of the controls (including all text fields, check boxes, drop-down lists, and buttons) that people can use in order to complete and submit the forms?

YesNoN/A6. If your website has online forms, does the default setting in drop-down lists describe the information being requested instead of displaying a response option (e.g., “your age” instead of “18 - 21”)?

YesNoN/A7. If a webpage has data charts or tables, is HTML used to associate all data cells with column and row identifiers?

YesNoN/A8. Do all video files on your website have audio descriptions of what is being displayed to provide access to visually conveyed information for people who are blind or have low vision?

YesNoN/A9. Do all video files on your website have written captions of spoken communication synchronized with the action to provide access to people who are deaf or hard of hearing?

YesNoN/A10. Do all audio files on your website have written captions of spoken communication synchronized with the action to provide access to people who are deaf or hard of hearing?

YesNoN/A11. Have all webpages been designed so they can be viewed using visitors’ web browser and operating system settings for color and font?

YesNo

Website Accessibility Policy and Procedures.
This section will help you identify potential problems with the ongoing process of ensuring website accessibility

12. Do you have a written policy on website accessibility?

YesNo13. Is the website accessibility policy posted on your website in a place where it can be easily located?

YesNo14. Have procedures been developed to ensure that content is not added to your website until it has been made accessible?

YesNo15. Does the website manager check the HTML of all new webpages to confirm accessibility before the pages are posted?YesNo

16. When documents are added to your website in PDF format, are text-based versions of the documents (e.g., HTML, RTF, or word processing format) added at the same time as the PDF versions?

YesNoN/A17. Have in-house staff and contractors received information about the website accessibility policy and procedures to ensure website accessibility?

YesNoN/A18. Have in-house and contractor staff received appropriate training on how to ensure the accessibility of your website?

YesNo19. Have in-house and contractor staff who create web content or post it on your website received copies of the Department of Justice’s technical assistance document “Accessibility of State and Local Government Websites to People with Disabilities”?

YesNo20. If your website contains inaccessible content, is a specific written plan including timeframes in place now to make all of your existing web content accessible

YesNoN/A - website is completely accessible21. Have you posted on your website a plan to improve website accessibility and invited suggestions for improvements?

YesNo22. Does your website home page include easily locatable information, including a telephone number and email address, for use in reporting website accessibility problems and requesting accessible services and information?

YesNo23. Do you have procedures in place to assure a quick response to website visitors with disabilities who are having difficulty accessing information or services available via the website?

YesNo24. Have you asked disability groups representing people with a wide variety of disabilities to provide feedback on the accessibility of your website? (Note: Feedback from people who use a variety of assistive technologies is helpful in ensuring website accessibility.)

YesNo25. Have you tested your website using one of the products available on the Internet to test website accessibility? (Note: Products available for testing website accessibility include no-cost and low-cost options. These products may not identify all accessibility issues and may flag issues that are not accessibility problems. However, they are, nonetheless, a helpful tool in improving website accessibility.)

YesNo26. Are alternative ways of accessing web-based information, programs, activities, and services available for people with disabilities who cannot use computers?